It was almost three quarters past eight in the evening. Lanterns had been hung at the gate of the mansion and it was completely dark outside. Yan Liqiang walked out of the mansion after being respectfully seen off by the palace's guests.
"Sir..." Hu Haihe and two accompanying guards immediately stepped forward, "The car is ready, do you want to go back to the manufacturing bureau now?"
The black four-wheeled carriage had already stopped at the gate of the County Magistrate's Mansion. Yan Liqiang glanced at Hu Haihe and waved his hand, "You guys wait for me at the city gate first. I haven't been to Pingxi City for a long time. I want to walk around the city!"
"Well... Young Master is alone, does he need to bring guards?" Hu Haihe and the two guards looked at each other and asked hesitantly.
"No need. This is Pingxi City, not a den of dragons and tigers. Pingxi City was so chaotic before, and I lived here alone for a long time. Now Pingxi City has become much better, and I am no longer the same as before. Am I afraid to walk around the city alone?" Yan Liqiang smiled and waved his hand, "It's okay, I will come to find you before the city gates close!"
Hu Haihe and the others knew that Yan Liqiang looked amiable on weekdays, but once he made a decision, he was very resolute and it was difficult for him to change because of others. Seeing Yan Liqiang like this, the others nodded and said, "Okay, we will wait for you at the city gate. Please be careful!"
"It's okay, go ahead!" Yan Liqiang waved his hand and watched Hu Haihe and others driving the carriage and riding the rhinoceros horse away. He took a deep breath, looked at the direction, and then walked towards the street on the left side of the County Magistrate's Mansion.
This is the County Magistrate's Mansion in Pingxi City, not an ordinary place, so normally no one would dare to peek in front of the door of the County Magistrate's Mansion. The streets around the County Magistrate's Mansion are restricted areas for the city foxes and rats in Pingxi City. Ordinary people would not stay in front of the door of the County Magistrate's Mansion for no reason if they have nothing to do. In addition, it was already dark at this moment, so there were even fewer people at the door of the County Magistrate's Mansion. No one noticed Yan Liqiang walking out of the County Magistrate's Mansion.
Yan Liqiang walked calmly on the familiar streets of Pingxi City, but his heart was not at peace. He had just had a conversation with Wang Jianbei. Wang Jianbei was always a little wary of the Shatu people who settled in Pingxi City. He was worried that if he used Yan Liqiang's methods, the conflict would be intensified and difficult to handle, so he could not make up his mind.
At this time, the Shatu people in Pingxi County were no longer the same as they were two years ago. The downfall of the Ye family, the backers of the Shatu people, the continuous pressure they were under due to their involvement in the assassination of Lei Sitong, and the chaos in the Gulang grassland at the moment, made the Shatu people in Pingxi City instantly become obedient. For a long time, there had been no news of Shatu people bullying the market and gathering people to smash and destroy things in Pingxi City.
Wang Jianbei also wanted to clear out the Shatu people in Pingxi City, but as the saying goes, a three-foot-thick ice does not form overnight. No matter how honest the Shatu people are, there are still 70,000 to 80,000 Shatu people in the city, and many of them are strong. Wang Jianbei is worried that using drastic measures will cause complete chaos in Pingxi City, and it will also give some people in Dijing City an excuse, which is something he does not want to see. Therefore, what Yan Liqiang said to him before was in vain.
As a county governor and court official, Yan Liqiang knew that Wang Jianbei did not want the Pingxi City under his rule to be in chaos, and did not want him to be registered with Lin Qingtian. These were all understandable, but Yan Liqiang did not have much time left...
Yan Liqiang looked up as he walked down the street, looked at the starry sky, and muttered to himself, "It's only been more than two years..."
In the final analysis, Wang Jianbei still didn't believe that the dream that Yan Liqiang had told him about the red river would not happen, so he still wanted to use the method of boiling a frog in warm water to slowly solve the problem of the Shatu people in the city, but Yan Liqiang knew that the dream he talked about was not a dream, but something that would happen in the future. He returned to Ganzhou this time and did so many things in order to prevent the tragic future from coming. Because of his appearance, the situation in Pingxi City and Gulang Grassland had indeed changed. The future of Pingxi City might be different, but Yan Liqiang was not sure how likely it was. What was more important was that even if the tragic scene in Pingxi City in the future could be... Even if he had the ability to rescue the people of the Imperial Capital from the catastrophe and move the capital of the Han Empire, what about after that? Would the White Lotus Sect, the Chamans, and the Shatu people sit idly by and watch the great changes happening in the Han Empire? And Lin Qingtian, once Lin Qingtian completely took power, he would definitely be dead. So no matter what, the great changes in the Han Empire in two years were a fact that was destined to happen, and the real chaotic times would come in two years. All that he was doing now was to have more cards and bargaining chips in his hands when the real great changes came.
With his efforts, the tragedy of Pingxi County might be avoided, but the great changes two years later were destined to involve countless people and turn them into corpses. More places in the Han Empire, more cities like Pingxi County and quiet villages like Liuhe Town, would be turned into ruins in the flames and slaughter. These were all what he had seen in the Heavenly Dao Divine Realm, and they were only the beginning of the scene two years later. He did not know what would happen next, but from the perspective of the Heavenly Dao Divine Realm, it would only get more chaotic...
Others all think that he is on the top of the world with a bright future, but only he knows that this seemingly prosperous situation may become a mirage in two years. In the eyes of Jiang Tianhua and others, he is arrogant and ruthless, but only he knows that every step he takes is like walking on thin ice and being cautious. Lei Sitong and others think that he is successful at a young age, but he knows best that what he lacks most is time. More than two years have passed in the blink of an eye. As long as he can have more chips in his hand within these two years and allow more people to survive in the future, he doesn't mind doing anything, even including accepting Lu Beixin and marrying into the Lu family.
Yan Liqiang smiled bitterly as he walked alone on the street. Sometimes, he really wished that everything in the Heavenly Dao Divine Realm was just a dream. If he knew nothing, then he could take it for granted. But many times, knowing means responsibility. This responsibility, for him, is like a mountain, pressing on his shoulders. It is really too heavy...
The sound of carriage wheels turning on the ground came from behind. A carriage passed behind Yan Liqiang and stopped beside him. The driver looked at Yan Liqiang and smiled warmly, "Sir, where are you going? My carriage is a four-wheeled carriage, very comfortable and not expensive. I have to finish work today, and I will do one last job!"
Yan Liqiang took a look and found that it was indeed a four-wheeled carriage. Its shape was somewhat similar to the four-wheeled carriages of the manufacturing bureau. The driver sat high up in the driver's seat in the front of the carriage, with a lantern hanging next to him. The paint on the surface of the carriage was very rough, full of a strong sense of copycat. The door of the carriage also opened sideways, following the fashion. There was a bogie between the four wheels, but there was definitely no spring under the car. It was similar to the cargo trucks made by the manufacturing bureau, except that it was replaced with a carriage that could seat people. There were windows on both sides of the carriage, but the windows were not decorated with glazed patterns, but just a piece of cloth.
"Okay, then take me to Kowloon Bridge!"
"It costs twenty copper coins to go to Kowloon Bridge!" said the carriage driver.
"Don't worry, you won't be left out!" Yan Liqiang smiled slightly, then opened the door of the carriage and got in. The coachman shouted "Gee!" outside, and the wheels of the carriage started turning, heading towards Kowloon Bridge at a moderate speed.
There was a stool in the carriage, which was wrapped in a layer of cotton cloth. The slight bumps on the cobblestone road in the city were transmitted to the carriage through the wheels. The carriage swayed gently. Compared with the four-wheeled carriages of the manufacturing bureau, it was completely like the difference between Maybach and Santana. However, compared with the traditional two-wheeled carriages, it was much more comfortable and stable. At least the floor of the carriage was flat, and it would not rise and fall with the bumps. It was the first time for Yan Liqiang to sit in this four-wheeled carriage that could provide convenience for ordinary people to travel, and he felt very enjoyable sitting inside.
Yan Liqiang was sitting in the carriage, thinking about things. After a while, he arrived at Jiulongqiao in Pingxi City.
The coachman came down and opened the door for Yan Liqiang himself, which of course also made it convenient for him to collect the money.
"Okay, no need to change..." Yan Liqiang casually took out a small piece of silver from his pocket and put it in the driver's hand. As the driver thanked him profusely, he walked towards the four-story restaurant at the end of Kowloon Bridge. That restaurant was the place he and Shi Dafeng and others had been to before.
The Kowloon Bridge at night seemed to be much more lively than before, but there were almost no Shatu people on the street, especially those who set up stalls on the street and occupied other people's storefronts, who disappeared all of a sudden.
Yan Liqiang arrived at the restaurant and asked the waiter to take him to the fourth floor. He asked for a seat by the window and sat down. After ordering some food and drinks, he tilted his head and looked at the scene outside. Only from here could he clearly see the area where the Shatu people gathered in Pingxi City. Although it had just gotten dark, there were fewer lights in the area where the Shatu people gathered. It seemed a little cold and desolate, without the hustle and bustle of two years ago.
After a while, the food and wine were served. When Yan Liqiang was drinking, he heard footsteps beside him. A man sat down directly opposite Yan Liqiang. His aggressive eyes were like a wolf biting its prey. He stared at Yan Liqiang's eyes and said in a low voice, "Sir, don't you feel bored drinking alone..."
(End of this chapter)